As a company or association and as a freelancer, you should always worry about your appearance. It should be as professional as possible. So you should always use for your stationery Korespondenzen. You should also consider having your stationery printed professionally.
Whether you print your own stationery or have it printed, use better paper. Most people use cheap copy paper (80 g/m²). For a professional appearance, this is not really suitable. Experiment with different papers and try them out to make sure that you select a paper on which the ink runs from inkjet printing. Consider a slightly thicker paper such as 90 g/m². Also ensure that with the weight of the paper you do not exceed the normal weight limit for standard letters. Otherwise you will have to pay more postage.
Nowadays, there are different beautiful (white) papers made from 100% recycled paper - so that you can actively contribute to environmental protection. Should you not like a pure recycling paper, you can instead use an FSC-certified paper. The abbreviation FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. Resources for paper with this label come from sustainable forests.
If you have more stationery printed professionally, you should think about, which information will stay and which will be dated after a while. For example it makes little sense to have an address printed that will be changed soon anyways.
Even if it is cheaper to print more, do not print too many. Otherwise, years later you will have stationery that you do not really like anymore.
Showing posts with label paper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paper. Show all posts
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Designing your business cards
Business cards are essential for your marketing! They are a cheap and simple way of advertising.
For business cards, there really is no standard format. However, there are a few formats that are common:
You can design and print your business cards on one side or on both sides. The one-sided print usually is a little bit cheaper. You can just have something printed in black on the front side - the print shop will call this 1/0. Or you have something printed in black on both sides - 1/1.
However, I recommend using color. Either just on the front side (4/0) or the front side colored and the back side in black (4/1), or both sides in color (4/4). '4' stands for the four printing colors used: cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
You can also use special colors - at additional cost of course.
Also, you have the opportunit to have your business cards coated with a UV lacquer. This is offered by most of the print shops now.
Another possibility, which is particularly common in the U.S. is the thermography process. Thsi simulates the more expensive raised-print effect with the application of plastic powder that is melted onto the card.
The font on your cards should be adjusted depending on the appeal wanted. Avoid using all capital, script or ornate writing - these are difficult to read.
Select a font size that is not too small - less than 8 pt can only be read by some people with the help of a magnifying glass.
Your business card should appear clearly. Do not stuff it with too much text. Do not overload your card with too much information, as this will appear cluttered.
If you already have a Corporate Design (CD) - a consistent corporate identity - you should also use it for your business cards. At least your logo should appear on your cards!
Important content of your business card:
One way to print the cards is doing it yourself - with your own printer and special business card paper. However, since this appears unprofessional, takes time and is not necessarily cheaper than having the cards printed professionally, you should make use of another possibility: You can use a local print shop or an internet print shop. Mot internet print shops are a little bit cheaper - however, they lack personal contact. To find an internet print shop simply google 'printing business cards'.
For business cards, there really is no standard format. However, there are a few formats that are common:
- 85 x 55 mm (EU credit card size used in Belgium, Germany, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland)
- 85.6 x 54 mm / 3.370 x 2.125 in (credit card size according to ISO 7810)
- 74 x 52 mm / 2.913 x 2.047 in (ISO 216, A8)
- 81 x 57 mm / 3.2 x 2.2 in (DIN C8)
- 100 x 65 mm / 3.937 x 2.559 in (with photo)
- 88.9 x 50.8 mm / 3.5 x 2 (business card size in U.S. and UK)
- 91 x 55 mm / 3.582 x 2.165 in (Japanese business card format)
- 90 x 55 mm / 3.54 x 2.165 in (used in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden)
- 90 x 54 mm / 3.543 x 2.125 in (used in Hong Kong and China)
- 90 x 50 mm / 3.543 x 1.968 in (used in Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Finland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary)
- Fold-over business cards usually folded to one of the above formats
You can design and print your business cards on one side or on both sides. The one-sided print usually is a little bit cheaper. You can just have something printed in black on the front side - the print shop will call this 1/0. Or you have something printed in black on both sides - 1/1.
However, I recommend using color. Either just on the front side (4/0) or the front side colored and the back side in black (4/1), or both sides in color (4/4). '4' stands for the four printing colors used: cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
You can also use special colors - at additional cost of course.
Also, you have the opportunit to have your business cards coated with a UV lacquer. This is offered by most of the print shops now.
Another possibility, which is particularly common in the U.S. is the thermography process. Thsi simulates the more expensive raised-print effect with the application of plastic powder that is melted onto the card.
The font on your cards should be adjusted depending on the appeal wanted. Avoid using all capital, script or ornate writing - these are difficult to read.
Select a font size that is not too small - less than 8 pt can only be read by some people with the help of a magnifying glass.
Your business card should appear clearly. Do not stuff it with too much text. Do not overload your card with too much information, as this will appear cluttered.
If you already have a Corporate Design (CD) - a consistent corporate identity - you should also use it for your business cards. At least your logo should appear on your cards!
Important content of your business card:
- Logo
- Company name
- Maybe a short description of the company
- First name, last name, title, function
- Full address
- Telephone, mobile telephone number, fax
- Website, blog, facebook page
One way to print the cards is doing it yourself - with your own printer and special business card paper. However, since this appears unprofessional, takes time and is not necessarily cheaper than having the cards printed professionally, you should make use of another possibility: You can use a local print shop or an internet print shop. Mot internet print shops are a little bit cheaper - however, they lack personal contact. To find an internet print shop simply google 'printing business cards'.
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